Chapter 12 - Against Tornejya of Frontier

Strongest. Representatives, or so whatever they called.

The title that is given to an unfathomable person. Or so, what I heard.

---the beings who never taste defeat in their lifetime,

---the beings who are unknown but least popular,

---the beings who saved its Kingdom from the brink of destruction and ruled it, and called God by its people,

---the beings who were entrusted to guard the God Tree or commonly known as the Yggdrasil Tree,

---and the beings who killed countless of lives just to live up in its name.

The person in front of me is the latter most. He only showed himself only if the Frontier Kingdom cannot defend itself from the adversity. For example, the indefinite and unspecified attack of monsters from the unknown.

Of all the hailed representatives, he is well-known as the mass slaughterer, human or monster alike. Tornejya of the Frontier, or so that's what he called. Though, the tale subsided ever since, the smell of blood it bathed won't escape my nostril.

The same reason why I never dreamt to return in that Castle, the Kingdom's Capital and also the one who are repelling the unknown, hence the Frontier Kingdom.

"Heh, you're knowledgeable for a mere soldier, huh" he sneer whilst making my body shiver. His intent is covered with the smell of blood so I don't know if this might be my last day in this world.

"What do you mean...about the rumor?" Its natural to passed in this City coming from the Frontier to the Center of the World, but why would he intentionally wanted to check the so called rumor?

"Nothing much? I'm just. . .curious how strong the bounty hunter of this City is, and it looks like my hunch is correct!" He claimed

"Hunch?" I asks as if its not purely an accidental

"Just as you have your nose to smell, I have my eyes to discern. Your comrade--Zero Three was it? he's kind of ignorant so I only stick in the process to see who was it. The Absolute One, so I heard. If that dude is here, isn't there a chance that 'you' are also here? Or so what I believed, hmm hmm and its quite real" he chuckled with crossing arms with finger caressing his chin and repeatedly nodding. I don't get what he meant about an 'eyes to discern' though.

Again, its not purely an accident to see him in this place. I can't help but gulp. Asashi, why didn't you tell me!

"Was it you?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you one of my target?"

From my question, he tilted his head to one side, whilst making the skin from my cheek--lift up for a moment, annoyed.

I don't even know what's in his goddamn mind as of this moment as I can't inch a bit of his intention. Why is---!

Step--
Step--

One step, Two step. . .he silently walked forward until not even 10 meters remained, he grin from one side.

"Damn!" I pulled back my body and raised my knife to follow. His gait is telling me an impending crises and my gut feel didn't betray me.

Klang---!

Our weapon clashed which made our eyes levelled and start the glaring contests. His golden eye pierces mine, glistening as if finding its new playmate.

His audden charge made my body almost stumble as his body was cleaved in half thereafter.

Or so I believed.

My attack didn't feel any physical resistant and instead, I sense an urge of sharp and flaming pain from my side. This guy, when did he!

"Urgh!"

I groan not from the pain but because my chest has imprinted with his feet. Using his weapon as a hand stool, I receive a kick!

Amazing. So this is what a life and death feels like. I can't help but smile in that regard while rocketed parallel to the ground opposite of him, making my body collide into the tree trunk.

●○●○●○

Tornejya arrived in the City of Courage days after the summon. Although he hate to admit, but it is not an option he should keep a blind eye closed.

Entering the City, he was surprised as there's no such thing as City this lively. Even the capital isn't as bustling as this. And athough not a good listener, news entered in his ear unblocked; and the word from the buzzing noise slightly triggered him. . .The Absolute One, so he heard.

He let it slide if its just a useless rumor but the pride of this continent's strongest is his identity alone. Not that he fixated to hailed as the strongest but his blood boils when powerhouse emerged and want to challenge them himself made him smile from ear to ear.

This same reason why the Frontier King is always keep him at bay. Just this walking time bomb would make his kingdom went extinct if he kill everyone with better future ahead of them.

Finally after subsiding his thought for a while, he find ways to check things out. The City is so busy as if every street is like a market place and slowly gathered information. Along with it, he found something or someone interesting.

"M-may I ask who was it they called, T-the Absolute One?" him and the man with green colored robe's space was shortened, which made the latter almost freak out from the question. He is giggling while making a play like a lost child after covering his upper body with clothes he snatched.

Consecutively, the man with green colored robe, felt something is amiss but because he's in a hurry, he sprint away after the reply: "I don't but he's kinda popular, I'm sorry but I have an errand to do" without looking back.

Tornejya smirk after hearing, he then vanished without a trace after one passerby moved in his side. What remained is the clothes he snatched---slowly descending down the cobblestone.

Moments later. "Phew, I made in time", Asashi arrived inside their Tea Shop with different kind of herbs inside of his Dimensional Pouch. He later entered the kitchen and start brewing, pounding them with mortar and used his gained skill and pressed the process to drying. He mixed herbs with different tastes and put them in one thin and small cloth, enough to put them in a teapot later. And then, repeat the process.

Later that time, he'll talk with Saiha and others about his fated meeting. "Is it true? Should we warn him?" One of them stated after hearing his explanation.

"Nah no need and to begin with, its his fault for showing off with such shameful name. And he is still thinking we don't know until now, haha" Asashi covers his sweating forehead and laugh sarcastically.

"Oi, he might end up dying! I think we should help him!" One of them seriously sweated.

"Well If he die, that's that and that's his limit. Also, don't just casually said 'helping him', that man is dangerous even with us combine. Believe in Zero One, at least, he should live up to his name, right?" Asashi deeply sigh.

"Ah damn! Why did he always brings trouble! Our business is almost gone because of his infamy, this will happen if you leave him alone!" Followed by Saiha who look at Asashi. After all, because Zero One is affiliated with their Tea Shop, their business almost lost its franchise as per City Lord decree. Good thing, all is well in the end. Saiha is slightly afraid of Zero One, so he let Asashi do the troublesome job.

"Can I slap you? Where'd it all begin, hah? Is it when that time, the little girl gave him one quest? After that, trouble arrived after trouble. Its your fault for not stopping him in the first place!" Another one pinched Saiha's cheek and the two start their rant in full swing.

"Sigh, He'll make it, that dude has the blood of a cockroach" Again, Asashi look at their entrance door. Waiting for their comrade's arrival. 'If he reached the insurmountable wall, he might end up using that for sure' and sigh for the last time.

●○●○●○

Tattered and blood was dripping off from the damage he received, also, seven orifices of Zero One is drizzling and as the crimson pupil of his, turned bloody. Thanks for the crimson-colored robe he is using---even with bruise and cuts, is not unbecoming even if others sees his current physical state, but how his current looks. Ragged and as if bathed with his own blood.

During and even before the battle started, he store all of his identity blocker inside his Pouch and even his Bandana. Afraid that it might get destroy in the process.

Thanks to this, his spiky raven hair could clearly be seen, turned unkempt after rolling to the ground for a couple of times, eating mud or lumped in the process. One of his knife was destroyed from the process of repelling his adversary.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. Although bloody and ragged, he is lucky to still alive after more than ten bouts with the strongest man. Gritting his teeth as he balanced.

Tornejya at the same time, was elated, enough to lick its curved blade who bathed with Zero One's own blood and as if looking at its struggling prey.

SWISH!

Simultaneously, wind passed from Torneyja's cheek after jumping to the side. His opponent is now equipped with weird looking Bow as it nocks another arrow who arrived in his feet.

BOOM!

Tornejya avoided but the destruction of the earth pebble swept him away. After immediately brushing off the dusts, he cursed out, "Hey! I thought you're a soldier, why are you using a bow this time?" Torneyja sarcastically complained

"I beg to differ" Zero One clicked his tongue who politely answers.

BOOM!

Torneyja rotates his body mid-air as Zero One's second arrow flew off, he deflect it but was surprised as the former knockback from the contest of strength between an arrow and him, Making his body slam to a nearby tree.

Eyes twitched, making him elated even more, to even lick his bloody lips and smile faintly. but deep down, he was quite pissed.

Because, in a contest of strength, he was defeated!?